During excursions around Poznań and its environs one should also visit places which – according to legend – are haunted.

 

And there are at least a couple of them near Poznań.
“The most famous ghost of Wielkopolska” is the White Lady from the castle in Kórnik, around 25 km south of Poznań. There hangs a portrait of Teofilia Szołdrska-Potulicka. nee Działyńska. in the castle dining room. According to legend, beautiful Teofila, called by everyone the White Lady, descends from the portrait every night and goes to a park, where a rider on a black horse awaits her. They wander around the park until the crack of dawn. This is how the ghost of Teofila Działyńska was punished by evil powers. In the vicinity of the castle in Kórnik there was a small hunting hut. Treasure was supposed to be hidden in the cellar of the hut and guarded by the evil powers. Teofila, however, ordered the hut to be pulled down and gave the bricks to members of the local community. The evil ghosts took their revenge by making her wander around the castle and park. The curse will be removed when somebody finds the treasure once hidden under the hut.

 

Photograph 1 – the portrait of the White Lady in the castle in Kórnik

Lake Góreckie, located in the very centre of Wielkopolska National Park, a dozen or so kilometres south of the centre of Poznań, also has its own ghost. There are two islands in the centre of this big lake. A legend about the ghost of Górka, the owner of the land, who lived a couple of ages ago is connected with Zamkowa island. According to the legend, Górka used to imprison his wives in a small castle on the island. After his death, he ended up in hell and was allowed to come back to earth once a year. His ghost wanders around the island in search of the ruins of the castle and his return is accompanied by the ominous croaks of ravens.

 

The neighbouring island, Kopczysko, has its legend too. According to the legend, a small church and a village were there a thousand years ago. During fighting, pagans destroyed the church. The village supposedly collapsed under the earth and there is a lake in its place now. Older inhabitants say that bell-ringing from the destroyed church can be heard coming from the depths of the lake.

 

Photograph 2 – Lake Góreckie

 

The ghost of an unhappy woman who was confined by her husband can be seen by a watch-tower of the castle in Szamotuły, around 30 km north-west of Poznań. It is a girl called Halszka, imprisoned in the tower by her husband. All this happened in the mid 16th century. According to the legend, the jealous husband ordered an iron mask to be put on her face. All she was allowed to do in the mask was to attend church to hear mass. We know from documents that the woman went mad and died. The legend says that until this day the woman walks in the vicinity of the tower in penitential dress. When she disappears the desperate cry of a woman is heard.

 

Photograph 3 – Tower in Szamotuły

Information taken from: www.staff.amu.edu.pl/~gmazurek/zpd/duchen.htm
And from J. Sobczak „Przez Wielkopolskę...” and „Duchy i zjawy wielkopolskie”